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Gorgon
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, the gorgon is a magical beast that resembles a bull, covered in dusky metallic scales. Even though they are named for the three humanoid Gorgons of Greek mythology, they much more closely resemble the Khalkotauroi of the same, and to some degree the Catoblepas of Ethiopia legend.The history of four-footed beasts and serpents. by Topsell, Edward, 1572–1625?; Gessner, Conrad, 1516–1565; Moffett, Thomas, 1553–1604; Rowland, John, M.D; p. 206: "Among the mani old and divers sorts of Beasts which are bred in Africk, it is thought that the Gorgon is brought forth in that Countrey. It is a fearful and terrible beast to behold, it hath high and thick eye lids, eyes not very great, but much like an Oxes or Bugils, but all fiery-bloudy, which neither look directly forward, nor yet upwards,but continually down to the earth,and therefore are called in Greek, Catobleponta." Publication history ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (1974–1976) The gorgon was one of the first monsters introduced in the earliest edition of the game, in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' "white box" set (1974), where they were described as bull-like monsters with a breath capable of turning creatures to stone.Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson. Dungeons & Dragons (3-Volume Set) (TSR, 1974) They were also detailed in the Eldritch Wizardry supplement. ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 1st edition (1977–1988) The gorgon appears in the first edition Monster Manual (1977),Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual (TSR, 1977) where it is described as a bull-like creature covered in thick metal scales, that breathes a cloud of noxious vapors which turn any creature to stone. The gorgon is further detailed in Dragon #97 (May 1985), in "The Ecology of the Gorgon," by Ed Greenwood.Greenwood, Ed. "Ecology of the Gorgon, The" Dragon #97 (TSR, 1985) ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (1977–1999) This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the gorgon, in the Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set (1981 & 1983),Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson 1974, edited by Dave Cook. Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set (TSR, 1981)Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson 1974, edited by Frank Mentzer. Dungeons & Dragons Set 2: Expert Rules (TSR, 1983) and the Companion Rules (1984).Mentzer, Frank. Dungeons & Dragons Set 3: Companion Rules (TSR, 1984) The gorgon was also later featured in the Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1991), the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991),Allston, Aaron, Steven E. Schend, Jon Pickens, and Dori Watry. Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (TSR, 1991) and the Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game set (1994). ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd edition (1989–1999) The gorgon appears first in the Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (1989),Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume Two (TSR, 1989) and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).Stewart, Doug, ed. Monstrous Manual (TSR, 1993) The Parthoris gorgon appears in Dragon #256 (February 1999). ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 3.0 edition (2000–2002) The gorgon appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).Cook, Monte, Jonathan Tweet, and Skip Williams. Monster Manual (Wizards of the Coast, 2000) ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 3.5 edition (2003–2007) The gorgon appears in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003). The guardian gorgon appears in Dungeonscape (2007). ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 4th edition (2008–2014) The gorgon appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008), including the iron gorgon and the storm gorgon.Mearls, Mike, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt. Monster Manual (Wizards of the Coast, 2008) ''Dungeons & Dragons'' 5th edition (2014–Present) The gorgon appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2014).Mearls, Mike, Jeremy Crawford, and Christopher Perkins. Monster Manual (Wizards of the Coast, 2014) Description A gorgon can breathe out a cone of vapor that turns creatures to stone. They are very aggressive creatures that attack intruders on sight, attempting to trample, gore, or petrify them. There is no way to calm these furious creatures, and they are impossible to domesticate. A gorgon is not very intelligent, and therefore always neutral in alignment. They usually live in temperate plains, in small packs of 3–4, or larger herds. In the Eberron campaign setting, the gorgon is the heraldic beast of the dragonmarked House Cannith. References Further reading *Ward, Kyla. "The Petit Tarrasque and Other Monsters." Dragon #329 (Paizo Publishing, 2005). Category:Dungeons & Dragons creatures from folklore and mythology Category:Dungeons & Dragons magical beasts Category:Dungeons & Dragons standard creatures